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Last Updated: 02/04/2012 - 4:53 PM

   

        All jobs require varying degrees of communication. An information technology position, for example, may involve little external communication throughout the day, but customer-oriented workers may talk with clients from the minute they arrive to the minute they leave. Not everyone is cut out to be -- or wants to be -- "on" all day.

Dianna Booher, author of "Communicate with Confidence" and "Creating Personal Presence: Look, Talk, Think, and Act Like a Leader," says that many top communicators have similar traits that help them succeed. "Some people pride themselves on 'telling it like it is,'" Booher says. "Actually, they don't know the difference in being direct and being tactless, in being neutral and being negative. Good communicators can be direct with tact." Other qualities that Booher says communicators have include: creativity, highly effective listening skills, the ability to bring lackluster concepts to life, a positive attitude and comfort in social situations.

Some communication-related jobs are obvious: writers, radio or TV broadcasters, public relations experts, sales representatives. Here are nine jobs that may not immediately come to mind but that require well-honed communication skills:

1.

Human resources specialists

2.

Social media marketing/public-relations specialists

3.

Teachers (postsecondary)

4.

Registered nurses

5.

Corporate trainers

6.

Customer service agents or managers

7.

Administrative assistants

8.

Meeting planners for associations or corporations

9.

Website developers

Wage data and job descriptions from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Justin Thompson is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Last Updated: 05/04/2012 - 3:46 PM

   

        When an employee resigns, it's common for the employer to counter with another offer in order to persuade the employee to stay. It takes a lot of time and money for a company to find and replace valuable staff, so unless the decision is mutual, the company will want to do what it can to retain the employee. Given today's tough job market, who wouldn't want to be in a situation where two companies want you? Yet the counteroffer can often create more problems than it can solve.

When human-resources professionals and recruiters were asked whether accepting a counteroffer is ever a good idea, most replied with a resounding "no." A few cases were made for taking a counteroffer, but only if done so for the right reasons and in the right way.

"Recognizing all situations are unique and there is no 'one size fits all' answer, the potentially departing employee needs to consider a number of things when faced with this scenario," says Fred R. Cooper, managing partner at Compass HR Consulting.

Why accepting a counteroffer may backfire

You may lose trust.

"By resigning, you've severed the bond of trust with your company," says Judi Perkins, career coach and founder of Find the Perfect Job. "It's like catching your partner cheating. There will always be that bit of doubt. You'll eventually leave the company, but next time it will be on their terms, not yours."

Elene Cafasso, president at executive coaching firm Enerpace Inc., agrees, saying, "You could be seen as a 'short timer' and be passed up for promotions, the best projects, etc. Your current employer may just counter the offer to keep you around long enough to get your replacement identified and trained."

You can burn bridges.

"If the hiring company has released the other candidates and announced your imminent arrival -- that you then renege on -- you just ruined your reputation with a top-rate company in your industry," Perkins says.

Your problem won't necessarily be solved.

It shouldn't take a counteroffer to get what you want.

You accepted the original offer for a reason.

When a counteroffer is worth considering

"Obviously each situation is different, but certainly accepting a counteroffer can be very appropriate, if it addresses the 'itch' that caused you to look at alternatives in the first place," says John Millikin, clinical professor of management at Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business. "People tend to listen to executive search calls when they are unhappy with current assignments, feel blocked on advancement, have issues with their own management, etc. A successful counteroffer needs to address these concerns, as well."

When it comes to burning bridges with the company from which you accepted an offer, Millikin says there is always that chance. "You can, however, mitigate some of that by simply being as transparent with the hiring company as possible. If you were candid about why you might leave, it is easier to tell a convincing story about how your current employer truly addressed the concern."

Addressing the issues head-on

While the answer to whether you should accept a counteroffer isn't black and white, perhaps the best approach is to address the issues you're having at your current company before they get so bad they drive you to leave. If you tell your manager and nothing improves, then you'll never wonder whether things would have gotten better. You can move on to your next opportunity without looking back.

Debra Auerbach is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Last Updated: 27/03/2012 - 2:57 PM

   

Greg Szymanski, director of human resources at Geonerco Management in Seattle, says that when employers contact references, they're looking to determine if the candidate is the person who presented himself in the interview. "Often what's not said is more important than what is said. And hesitations and dancing in a reference's answers are very telling."

The questions employers are asking

Employment verification: The standard questions a hiring manager will ask are ones related to your employment. The employer will want to verify that you did indeed work with this reference, the dates of your employment and the reference's relationship to you (boss, peer, etc.). Sean Milius, president of the Healthcare Initiative, an affiliate of global recruiting firm MRINetwork, says employers also want to know why you left. "It is very important that their story matches that of the candidate," Milius says. "If the candidate says it was a 'mutual parting,' but the reference says they were let go or laid off, there will be a problem. The candidate should always be truthful when asked why they left, as the potential employer will check out their story."

Workplace performance: After a hiring manager asks the basic questions, she might dig a little deeper into your work performance. Common performance-related questions will cover strengths, areas for improvement, ability to work in a team and biggest accomplishments. Sunil Phatak, director of U.S. recruiting at IT staffing and consulting firm Akraya Inc., says the following questions on both hard and soft skills are also often asked:

• What would you say is his strongest attributes?
• 
  
• How would you describe her interpersonal skills?
• 
  
• What would you say motivated him most?
• 
  
• Would you rehire or recommend her for rehire?
• 
  

Personality and well-roundedness: Szymanski notes that while work-performance questions provide important insight, they don't always give a complete picture of the candidate. "If you want to know what the person is like, you have to ask questions that get at that information in a different way." For instance, an employer may ask, "Would you trust the reference to watch your children if you were away on vacation?" Or, "Would you take the candidate to dinner at a nice restaurant with your parents/spouse/significant other?" "The more personal/nonwork-related questions are often useful, not for what the reference says, but for what the reference doesn't say and/or the manner in which the reference provides an answer or doesn't answer," Szymanski says.

Who the references are matters, too

Sure, a reference's answers hold a lot of weight, but who the reference is can be just as telling to a hiring manager. If the only references you can provide are your mom, your sister and your best friend, it might raise a red flag with the potential employer.

"Most employers would prefer that a job seeker choose a former manager or supervisor as a reference," Phatak says. "This is because managers are usually able to deliver a relatively unbiased opinion and are much less likely to be swayed into giving a positive referral if one isn't truly deserved. A manager is also a good pick for a reference because a positive referral from him will hold more weight than one from a co-worker who is similarly ranked. Job seekers should also select references who worked with them for at least a year, have a good understanding of their abilities and can attest to their positive attributes."

Setting your references up for success

While you likely won't know the exact questions a hiring manager plans to ask your references, you can still prepare them for the call. The first thing you should do is tell your references that they are one. While that may seem obvious, it's not always done, and the last thing you want to do is have your references be blindsided by the hiring manager's call. Even if you've used certain references in the past, don't just assume they'll be available or willing to serve as one again. The best approach? Ask your contacts first before giving their information to the employer.

Phatak says that if you've done a good job of selecting your references, they'll know you and your work style well enough that they won't need any coaching on the answers. He does suggest that you share the basic job description with your references and refresh them on the position you had and contributions you made while working together. "This is especially helpful if a lot of time has passed since you last worked with them. You don't want your references to be caught off-guard and failing to recall what it is you even did on their team."

Szymanski shares this metaphor to summarize the use of references during the hiring process. "Reference checking is one spoke in the wheel of talent acquisition. If you can get as many spokes in the wheel as you can, your hiring will get better. Reference checking is not perfect, but if used in conjunction with other spokes, reference checking can be useful in verifying/confirming what you already know or breaking ties between two or more closely matched candidates."

Debra Auerbach is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

The survey of more than 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals nationwide also revealed that 34 percent of HR managers saw an increase in voluntary turnover -- workers leaving companies for other opportunities -- last year. Given these findings, it's no wonder retention is a concern for many organizations today.

Moreover, hiring managers in information technology, financial services, manufacturing and health-care -- fields that rely on highly skilled workers -- expressed the most concern about a potential exodus.

In addition to retention worries, the inability to fill open positions presents another worry for hiring managers: 26 percent say they have open positions for which they cannot find qualified candidates.

Retention, compensation among employers' biggest challenges
When asked to name their biggest staffing challenges this year, survey participants gave the following answers:

• Being able to retain top employees -- 35 percent.
• 
  
• Being able to provide competitive compensation -- 35 percent.
• 
  
• Worker burnout -- 32 percent.
• 
  
• Maintaining productivity levels -- 29 percent.
• 
  
• Being able to provide upward mobility -- 26 percent.
• 
  
• Can't find high-skilled applicants -- 24 percent.
• 
  
• Don't have the budget to recruit -- 13 percent.
• 
  

Beyond salary increases, organizations can offer a broader range of perks and benefits to meet these challenges, says Rosemary Haefner, CareerBuilder's vice president of human resources.

Workers weigh in
More than 7,700 workers nationwide also participated in the survey, offering insights that could help employers meet these challenges. When asked what they consider most when evaluating a potential employer, workers who participated in the survey gave the following answers:

1. 
   
2. Longevity/stability.
3. 
   
4. Good work culture.
5. 
   
6. Career advancement opportunities.
7. 
   
8. Flexible schedules.
9. 
   

Even if companies provide employees with some or all of those perks, they might not be communicating them to current and potential employees as clearly or as frequently as they might think they are. According to a 2011 MetLife study, 55 percent of employees think their communication regarding benefits is either unclear or too infrequent.

Mary Lorenz writes for The Hiring Site, CareerBuilder's community for hiring professionals and other curious-minded individuals to discuss the attraction, engagement and retention of their #1 asset -- their people.

AMC's critically adored series "Mad Men" is back for its fifth season after a long hiatus, and life in 1967 is moving along at fictional advertising agency Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. The show, which follows the professional and personal lives of the agency's staff, is a snapshot of a very different professional world than the one we live in today. From the fashion that is so old it's now hip again to the pop culture references (such as Kennedy's assassination or the ride of the Rolling Stones), the show can often feel like it's a world apart from ours. That's not even mentioning the way women (both in the workplace and at home) and minorities are treated on the show. At the surface level, let's hope there's not much in common with today's workplace.

But the show isn't just about working at a 1960s marketing agency; it's about characters who do smart and stupid things, just like real people do. We've been watching the characters for 50-plus episodes now and are invested in their fictitious lives. When Pete acts like a brat or Don cheats on his wife, we can't help but scream at the TV and shake our heads. So aside from not smoking indoors or drinking too heavily, here are six lessons we can learn from "Mad Men."

SPOILER WARNING: The following tips refer to events in the show all the way through the current episodes of season five. So if you are behind on your DVR, you might want to bookmark this for later.

Lesson No. 1: Stand up for yourself
On the show: Peggy has to prove repeatedly that she's as good as, if not better than, the men at the company, from asking to get promoted to copywriter to making sure she's not left out of meetings.
At work: You don't get what you don't ask for in the working world. Be polite and respectful, and never act entitled, but don't be afraid to negotiate a higher salary, request a promotion or highlight your achievements. Bosses and higher-ups may not be purposefully ignoring you, they may just be busy. They might need an occasional reminder that you're doing a good job and deserve some recognition. Don't get passed over for promotions or better opportunities just because you're afraid to speak up.

Lesson No. 2: Pick your battles
On the show: Pete Campbell thinks he deserves to be the boss of everyone and everything, and he whines when he doesn't get his way, no matter how important the issue really is.
At work: Yes, you should stand up for yourself, but not every conflict is equal. Pointing out that you increased revenue by 20 percent last year is very different from complaining to your boss that your office doesn't have a good view (which is something Pete has done). The first few times you speak up, colleagues will pay attention. If they realize you can't distinguish between a true injustice and a petty complaint, they'll tune you out completely.

Lesson No. 3: Pick your office romances carefully
On the show: Don Draper married his secretary, Peggy secretly gave birth to Pete's baby, and Roger Sterling had an affair (and secret child) with Joan Harris, the office manager.
At work: No one is saying you shouldn't or can't have an office romance. After all,they're not that uncommon. But love (or at least lust) has led to many awkward situations in the hallways of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, and in real life, you don't have the luxury of a commercial break to sort things out. Just think carefully before you go on a date with your cubicle neighbor. You might find love, or you might find yourself singing a sultry French tune in front of the entire office and senior leadership, leading to uncomfortable jokes the morning after. Just be careful.

Lesson No. 4: Don't get too comfortable
On the show: Roger Sterling was once the golden boy who could bring in the big clients, but as the years pass he sees his own protégé, Pete Campbell, surpassing him.
At work: Co-workers aren't the problem, thinking you're indispensible is. Everyone from the interns to the vice presidents of an organization needs to stay motivated and creative. There is always new talent coming in and leaders looking to reward the best ideas. Coasting through your job might be fine now, but it's not the path to security in this competitive job market.

Lesson No. 5: Socialize (within reason)
On the show: Deals are made over cocktails and cigarettes, but if you don't know your limits, you'll end up putting your foot in your whiskey-filled mouth. See Peggy telling her boss she has to leave his party because, unlike some people, she has work to do.
At work: The point of happy hour isn't to get drunk (for most people), it's to get to know your colleagues outside of work. People tend to be a little more relaxed when they're sitting around and chatting at a bar and their real personalities come out. You don't have to become best friends with a co-worker, but building camaraderie can boost your chances of being noticed by people who can help you. Or it could just make you like coming to work a little bit more each day.

Lesson No. 6: Look good
On the show: Because the show is set in the 1960s, before jeans and T-shirts became commonplace, and because it's a TV show where money is no object, all of the characters are dressed like they're going to a photo shoot.
At work: Not everyone can or should wear impeccably tailored suits like Don Draper, but everyone should dress like they care about their appearance. You should never be at work and think, "I hope the boss doesn't notice I'm wearing this." Your clothes should be appropriate for your workplace and should never get you noticed for the wrong reasons.

Last Updated: 19/04/2012 - 5:57 PM

   

Despite the convenience of smart-phone apps, websites and impersonal online services that can help you get information or find things to do, nothing replaces the aid of a live human being -- especially one with a smile on his face and volumes of insider knowledge packed behind it. While a computer screen might inform you of a restaurant's hours of operation and overall user rating, only a concierge can let you know where and when the best tables are available, who really has the tastiest steaks, which places are overhyped and which are underused.

 Hence the eternal importance of any property's ambassador of goodwill, the concierge. Todd W. Williams is a Chicago-based concierge with over seven years' experience. He relies on his unique background in project management, public speaking, the arts, cultural initiatives, hospitality and non-profit organizations to bring a savvy to his role that gives his clients the extra help they need, whether they're new to the city or longtime dwellers looking for a new experience. His social nature has also led him to chair many non-profit committees, such as the Louisiana Special Olympics and the Human Rights Campaign Fund.

Williams took a moment to answer questions for CareerBuilder about his current role as a concierge:

CareerBuilder:

Todd W. Williams: Directions and nearby restaurants would be the most common requests.

CB: As a concierge, does your job afford you any down time?

TWW: My job does afford me down time. As a concierge, we have many networking events, and after-work events which, even though considered work, I consider a fun way to spend down time.

CB: When are your busiest and least busy times of the day, month, or year?

TWW: My busiest times of the year are early spring to mid-December. I would consider Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays as my least busy times. However, as a concierge, one never really knows how a week, month, or year will transpire.

CB: What is one secret to taking your performance from "good" to "outstanding"?

TWW: I pride myself on making my guests, and the vendors I work with feel like family. I welcome guests and make them feel comfortable enough to seek my help as needed.

CB: Has your job been affected at all by fluctuations in the economy?

TWW: Of course. Most industries have been affected by these unfortunate times. I have to be thankful to be where I am today. I enjoy my profession and my industry.

CB: If you were interested in advancing, what opportunities would lie beyond your current role?

TWW: I consider an opportunity a chance to advance in anything that you do. A management role would be familiar to me and welcomed. I do enjoy managing people and situations. Education is also important to me, if my company required or recommended it.

CB: Any tips for your fellow concierges or for those seeking employment as such?

TWW: My recommendation is to stay as focused and real as possible; people can sense otherwise.

Last Updated: 15/03/2012 - 4:09 AM